Drain valve



2 Sheets-Sheet 1 F. GOFF DRAN VALVE Filed Mav 1. 1919 i (kunnen,

July 27, 1926.

1,594,168 l F. GoFF DRAIN VALVE July 27, 1926.

Filed Mav 1. 1919 2 sheets-sheet 2 i @s m/1 dbtoznu the other disposed between the seat 3 and corresponding seat 12, and said balls will ordinarily rest in the valleys or grooves between the seats, the casing l'being arranged with its axis horizontal. Each ball normally rests against both seats between which it is is seated it will unseat the first named ball.

The nipples 10 afford means tor connecting the ends of the casing with the ends of a steam cylinder. Thus, piping and fittings 16V and 17 connect the nipples 10 with the opposite ends of the vcylinder 18, said connections being made at the bottom of the cylinder so that condensation will drain downwardly into the valve.

ln operation, when the engine is idle, the balls 14 and 15 will roll into the grooves between the valve seats, as seen in Figure 2, thereby permitting any water to drain from either end of the cylinder past the balls 14 and 15 to the portion 4 of the casing and out through the port 9. lVhen the engine is in operation, the valve provides for the alternate discharge of water of condensation from the opposite ends of the cylinder. Thus, referring to Figure 1, supposing that steam is admitted into the left hand end of the cylinder 18, the steam pressure in passing through the piping 16 will be brought to bear against the wall 14, thereby rolling it against the seat 2, and preventing the escape of steam through the port 9. Then, when the piston is reversed, and steam admitted into the right hand end of the cylinder 18, the steam in passing down through the piping 17 will seat the ball 15 against the seat 8, and this ball 15 in being seated under pressure will unseat the ball 14 against the lower pressure in the left hand end of the cylinder. Consequently, any water or yvapor in the left hand end of the cylinder can now drain out through the port 9 past the ball 14, and then when the ball 14 is again seated by the flow of steam into the lett hand end of the cylinder, the ball 15 is unseated and drainage from the right hand end of the cylinder permitted. The balls 14 and 15 are thus alternately seated, one unseating the other, and this movement of the `balls correspond in movement to the back and forth motion of the piston, and provides for alternate drainage from the opposite ends of the steam cylinder as the engine is in operation. As soon as the engine comes to rest, the balls 14 and 15 will both unseat,

permitting drainage from both ends of the cylinders. The operation is entirely automatic, and the construct-ion and operation is extremely simple, with a minimum number of parts. The seats 12 are provided, in order that the balls 14 and 15 will serve as 'check valves for preventing cold air or water of condensation being drawn into the cylinder, such as when the engine is idling with sub-atmospheric pressure in the cylinder. The balls 14 and 15 in bearing against the seats 12 will prevent cold air being drawn into the cylinder, and, should any water ol condensation collect in the casing 1 and pipes 16 and 17, after the engine has been stopped, such water is prevented from being drawn back into the cylinder because the balls in either direction, the ballswill roll by gravity away ironi the seats against which they bear to neutral or intermediate positions between and in contact with the corresponding valve seats.r The casing is therefore arranged with its axis horizontal, the axis of the valve seats coinciding with the axis of the casing.

A secondary drainage valve is used in ad- I dition to the main valve as an auxiliary means of drainage, especially when a pipe leads upwardly from the nipple 8 as seen in dotted lines in Fig. 1, which would or dinarily prevent the drainage of water from the cylinder' when the engine is at rest. The casing 1 is provided opposite to the nipple 8 with an outstanding boss 19 and a drain or escape port 20 opposite to the port 9 extending from the portion 4 into the boss, and

the econdary or auxiliary drain valve 21 is attached to the boss 19. The main valve llO is preferably disposed with the nipple 8 and e boss 19 in a horizontal plane, with the nipple at one side and the boss at the opposite side. rl`he secondary drain valve 21 as shown is of the same general construction of `the relief valve disclosed in my Patent No. 1,805,598, granted J une 8, 1919, with slight variations,

Valthough other forms of valves can be used for this purpose, which will permit of the drainage or discharge of fluid under atmos pheric low pressure, but which will prevent such ow when the velocity of the fluid through the valve increases above a predetermined amount. Briefly described, the valve 21 embodies a casing 22 havinga bore grannies 11 23* and chamber 24Withai reduced portion-` 25 between. thema: and anv escape port 261ex tending. from'. the chamber 24 in alinement- Withivthe bore 23;; There isa Val-ve seatl 27 Y at the.- inner endl et the port-26 `adjacent to the,l chamber 2%. and the casing has. a lateral' nipple 28 at' one sid'e,l`. `the4 passage/29I of. Which extends tothe chamber- 24 adjacent tol the valve seat=27-` This nipple 28 is screwed inta .the `bess 119 'toI bri-ng the passage 29 inte;communieationvwith the port 20, andy the casing 22 can be disposed 'in'jany desiredy angular positions A valve plunger 3'0 is slidable inthe pertien 25:1andf has the valve 315-. at one endi toseat inl thenconi'call` seat` 27,- for closingv theoutlet, and; the apposite` endofthe1 'plungerv 30? has 'ay head or flange l end: of the bore' 23. r`Thisfspring 3 4:v isot- 32 slide-ble inthe bore- 231 to assistinf guidi-ng overy the en'dfo` the vcasing, y22. opposite they poi-'t 251m'` closeI the bore 23' anc-l limit the unseating movement ot the valve member or plunger-,-i and` atcoiled-` 'Wire expansion springv of suitable tension surrounds the'plunger 30 Within thevbore 23and isl coniinedbetween the headA 32 and ther-.shoulder at the innerl v desired tension sey as; tof-hold the valve inem? vbei: `-.openuntill-the;l Velocity of' the fluid' flowing, from@ the passage 29- throughy the chamber-"2d andy porti26 increases-'to a predetermined-v'amounts in? Which1` `event the: sud4 tion-action of the fluid-discharging through 'the' port 2'6-.Willi draw they valve member rIhe pressure Will thenl 30,110 the seat 27. g buildup slightly` to! holdthe vaivemember againstsaidseat 27,.,to prevent' further es-y cape oli fluid;v The valve member 3QYwill open automatically -assoonras the pressure is reduced to apointto4 enable theV spring.

34; to: assert 1 itselrt'g. thereby "lettingf .the Water `Hand moisture drairrl out;- flfhe lhead 322130 ing;` slidablein t-hebo-re 23hand! the plungerf SOMbeing; slidable in the' portion 25 v"Will, of? coursepermit ot leakageof fluid pastthe*l portioni 25 andvhead-32l` se fthat the plungerl i 30 isffreeto slidelongitudina-lly.'

v By using: this secondary@ drain valve: the mainv drainvalve,.even though thevvater,y

cannoty dischargeA through4 the-,portag 4because of a pipeyleading upwardly therefrom'f," such'iwater cani'drain through the valve 21,V

when the valve member orV plunger 3,0v is raised by the spring 34, such as when the engine is idle. v When the engine is 'in operation7 the valve member or plunger 30 is seated immediatelyl Whenthere is an eiort for the steam to discharge through thepas-v sage 29 and port'26. Thus,' each puff of steam Will seat the valve member or plunger 80, the sudden flow of steam through the' passage'29 and port 26 immediately creating a suction effect that seats the valvemem-v Vber 30, and as soon as the pressure is relieved, the spring 34 `opens the valve member 30.*. The :torce ofthe-spring. 34e isi such"y thatvwhcn the .valvemernber BOivisseated:l l.

against rthe seat 2?'they pressure' cfg theV steanni,rk

inldischargingnwill be 'sulicient to' -ho'ldthe val-ve memberseated, but' the.v spring lWill' unseat the valvemember-assoon afs-'the pres` sure of, the. steam againstV the valve member` is-relieved; Hthe steam; `is,-diseharged in.v rapidsuecessio'n from` ltheopposite ends. etv the cylinder7l the irripulsesmay-v be sufficiently A rapid toy practically hol'dfhthe' va-lve. member seated, Whereas it the engine"isfrunningyslow, the valvel member'30.;mayy` be alter. n'

nately seated and openecl v p .y

Figure: .5 illustrates# modicatibn-,1- in;

Whichy amore simple secondary` drainvalve-fisl used;- Thus, a1 cap 22 is screwed'overthe-l boss 19 of the casing-m1 andrhas a# bore. `or

cha'lmberf2tl in Which' a,valvememberBGf in. Y the torna of a bal-l isfreer tol move;Y said eapV having yan eseape port-26f leading-1 ronr the vbere 24, Wit-li a va1veseat-i27fbetween said@ ing the porti 265,' -ande.permittingr Water te v drain out. 'The boss 19f can' be provided@ `Witlraconicalvalve sea-t 20vI at the'outerfend of the port 20' againstl Whiclrthe balli 3W Y v islseatable'toprevent the inflow ofrair.

lVhenthedischarge passage from the'perty 9 ldoes not leadV upwardly, so that* Water) or condensation:WillX not collectthereinQ-the secondary valve 211 may be omitted.

Having: 'thus deseribedi the invention;l what;l K

isolaim'edasnevvisz.--v f ,Y f, A

A drainvalve for a steamvenginecylin said*` passages7k valve balls Within/chie casing` der comprising', aifcasing; having end; por; 1 z tions-lr provided with` passagesl .tocommuniv` zcate- Withthe.' opposite ends; yoran engine i cylinderi andi havingian'fescape port' betweeniy between said'. port f andr passages, said lend prevent baclr zflow` into thecylinder.,AV the.I case `portions having conical valve seats between i lthe i ballsT and# passages against whichl thevballsf are seatable toward said passages" to i yingl havin-g.: conical valve 'seats between ysaid port t and .balls against# which f the :balls are:

mit thel balls `toi'contact directlyy ywith one lanother between said last named Valve seats so that one ball'vvhen seating against the corresponding last named valve seat will unseat the other ball from the other last named valve seat. f

' 2.A drain valve .for a steam engine` cylinder comprising a casingfhaving end por! tions provided With passages to communi- "cate With the 'opposite ends of an engine Cylinder and having an escape port betweeny seatable toward saidport, thelast named i valve seats being so close together asto persaid. passages, valve balls within the casing betweenl said port and passages, said end portions having conical valve seats between the balls and passages against which 4the balls are seatable toward said passages to prevent back flow into the cylinder, the casing having conical valveseats between said port and balls against which the balls are seatable toward said port, the last named valve seats being so close together as to permit-the balls to contact directly with one another between said last named valve seats so that one ball when seating against the corresponding last named valve seat will Iunseat the other ball from the other last named valve seat,the interior of the casing between the first named and last named valver seats being of larger' diameter than the balls to permit free lateral movement of the balls when they are located intermediate the irst named and vlast named valve seats and to provide for the upward and downward rolling movement of the balls on the lower portion of the valve seats when seating and unseating.

3. A drain valve for a steam engine cylinder comprising a casing having end portions provided with passages to communicate with the opposite ends of an engine cylinder and having an escape port between said passages, valve balls within the casing between said port and passages, the casing having conical valve seats between said port and balls against which the balls are vseatable toward said port, said valve seats being so close together' as to permit the balls to contact directly with one another between.

said valve seats so that one ball when seating against the corresponding valve seat will unseat the other ball from the other valve seat, the interior of the casing between said passages and valve seats being of larger diameter than the balls to permit free lateral movement of the balls when they are removed from said seats'andto provide for the upward and downward rolling movement' of the balls on the lower portions of the valve seats when seating and unseating.

l. A drain valve embodying a casing having oppositely facing valve seats and two escape ports extending from between said valve seats, valve members seatable against said seats at the opposite sides thereof and arranged for alternate seating thereof, the` seating of one valve member unseating the other, one of said ports being for the normal discharge of water and steam during working conditions, and means permitting water to drain through the other port in the absence of steam pressure from within said casing and operable to stop the flow of water and steam therethrough when subjected to steam pressure from within the casing.

5. A drain valve embodying a casing having oppositely facing valve seats and two escape ports extending from between said seats, one of said ports being the normal outlet for water and steam from within said casing, valve members within the casing at the opposite sides of said seats arranged to seat alternately, one valve'member in seating unseating the other, and a secondary valve for the other port arranged to open in the absence of steam pressure for the drainage of water through the last named port and arranged tov close under steam pressure from within the casing to prevent the escape of steam so that it will pass through the first named port.

6. A drain valve embodying a casing having oppositely facing valve seats, and escape ports leading from between said seats, one port being for the normal discharge' of water and steam from the casing, valve members within the casing at the opposite sides of said seats and seatable alternately, one valve member in seating unseating the other, a member attached to the casing in communication with the other port for the drainage of water from the casing and having an escape port and valve seat, and a valve member movable in the last named member and movable away from said seat in the absence of steam pressure from within the casing to permit water to drain out through said escape port, and arranged to seat under steam pressure from within the casing to prevent the escape of steam through escape port and direct the steam and water through the first named port.

ln testimony whereof I hereunto set my hand.

f FRANK GOFF. 

